U.S. patent application number 13/759127 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-29 for in-vehicle apparatus including distortion detection element.
This patent application is currently assigned to DENSO CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is DENSO CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Shinji HATANAKA, Makoto MANABE, Toru NADA, Makoto OBAYASHI, Norio SANMA, Kiyotaka TAGUCHI, Akira YOSHIZAWA.
Application Number | 20130222300 13/759127 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48048419 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130222300 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SANMA; Norio ; et
al. |
August 29, 2013 |
IN-VEHICLE APPARATUS INCLUDING DISTORTION DETECTION ELEMENT
Abstract
An in-vehicle apparatus includes a plurality of operations
sections, a detection section, and a cancellation section. The
operation sections are configured to receive an operation by a user
while driving of a vehicle and respectively include distortion
detection elements that respectively transmit detection signals in
accordance with loads generated due to the operation. The detection
section detects the operation to the operation sections based on
the detection signals. The cancellation section determines whether
loads are generated in the operation sections in a same period
based on the detection signals transmitted from the distortion
detection elements and cancels the detection signals transmitted
from the distortion detection elements in the same period when the
loads are generated in the same period.
Inventors: |
SANMA; Norio; (Okazaki-city,
JP) ; HATANAKA; Shinji; (Okazaki-city, JP) ;
NADA; Toru; (Inazawa-city, JP) ; TAGUCHI;
Kiyotaka; (Kariya-city, JP) ; MANABE; Makoto;
(Chiryu-city, JP) ; YOSHIZAWA; Akira;
(Koganei-city, JP) ; OBAYASHI; Makoto;
(Kashiwa-city, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DENSO CORPORATION; |
|
|
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DENSO CORPORATION
Kariya-city
JP
|
Family ID: |
48048419 |
Appl. No.: |
13/759127 |
Filed: |
February 5, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 2370/782 20190501;
B60K 2370/143 20190501; G06F 3/04186 20190501; G06F 2203/04105
20130101; B60K 37/06 20130101; B60K 2370/92 20190501 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/173 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 29, 2012 |
JP |
2012-44198 |
Claims
1. An in-vehicle apparatus comprising: a plurality of operation
sections configured to receive an operation by a user while driving
of a vehicle, the plurality of operation sections respectively
including distortion detection elements that respectively transmit
detection signals in accordance with loads generated due to the
operation; a detection section detecting the operation to the
plurality of operation sections based on the detection signals
transmitted from the distortion detection elements; and a
cancellation section determining whether loads are generated in the
plurality of operation sections in a same period based on the
detection signals transmitted from the distortion detection
elements and canceling the detection signals transmitted from the
distortion detection elements in the same period when the loads are
generated in the plurality of operation sections in the same
period.
2. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
plurality of operation sections is attached to a steering of the
vehicle.
3. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
cancellation section determines whether loads having similar
magnitudes and similar directions are generated in the plurality of
operation sections in the same period based on the detection
signals transmitted from the distortion detection elements and
cancels the detection signals transmitted from the distortion
detection elements in the same period when the loads having similar
magnitudes and similar directions are generated in the same
period.
4. The in-vehicle apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the
operation sections respectively include operation planes configured
to receive a touch operation by the user, and the distortion
detection elements respectively transmit the detection signals in
accordance with the loads generated due to the touch operation,
wherein the detection section detects magnitudes of the loads
generated in the operation planes due to the touch operation and
operation positions in the operation planes to which the touch
operation is applied, based on the detection signals transmitted
from the distortion detection elements, and wherein the
cancellation section cancels the detection signals transmitted from
the distortion detection elements in the some period when the
detection section detects the magnitudes of the loads and the
operation positions due to the touch operation to the operation
planes in the plurality of operation sections in the same period,
and the magnitudes of the loads or the operations positions satisfy
a predetermined condition.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is based on and claims priority to
Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-44198 filed on Feb. 29, 2012,
the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle apparatus
including a distortion detection element.
BACKGROUND
[0003] JP-A-2010-181398 (corresponding to US 2010/0170349 A1)
discloses an in-vehicle apparatus that detects a load applied to an
operation portion with a distortion detection element and detects
an operation applied to the operation portion by a user based on
the load. Because the in-vehicle apparatus can detect a magnitude
of a force applied to the operation portion, the in-vehicle
apparatus can accept various operations.
[0004] However, a load may be generated in the operation portion
due to a vibration of the vehicle, and thereby an operation of a
user may be misdetected. Accordingly, a malfunction of in-vehicle
apparatus may occur. In order to avoid the above-described issue,
an operation detected by the distortion detection element at a time
when a vibration of the vehicle occurs may be canceled. However, an
additional component, such as an acceleration sensor, for detecting
a vibration of the vehicle is required and a cost may increase.
SUMMARY
[0005] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an
in-vehicle apparatus that includes a plurality of operation
sections each detecting an operation with a distortion detection
element and can restrict a malfunction due to a misdetection of
operation caused by a vibration of a vehicle with a simple
configuration.
[0006] An in-vehicle apparatus according to an aspect of the
present disclosure includes a plurality of operation sections, a
detection section, and a cancellation section. The operation
sections are configured to receive an operation by a user while
driving of a vehicle. The operation sections respectively include
distortion detection elements that respectively transmit detection
signals in accordance with loads generated due to the operation.
The detection section detects the operation to the operation
sections based on the detection signals transmitted from the
distortion detection elements. The cancellation section determines
whether loads are generated in the operation sections in a same
period based on the detection signals transmitted from the
distortion detection elements and cancel the detection signals
transmitted from the distortion detection elements in the same
period when the loads are generated in the operation sections in
the same period.
[0007] The in-vehicle apparatus can restrict a malfunction due to a
misdetection of operation caused by a vibration of a vehicle with a
simple configuration.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Additional objects and advantages of the present disclosure
will be more readily apparent from the following detailed
description when taken together with the accompanying drawings. In
the drawings:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a steering attached with touch
pads according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a navigation apparatus
including the touch pads and devices coupled with the navigation
apparatus;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing components of the touch pad;
[0012] FIG. 4 is a top view showing an operation plane and
distortion detectors included in the touch pad;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing components of the
navigation apparatus; and
[0014] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation information
reception process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with
reference to drawings. The embodiments of the present disclosure
are not limited to the following embodiments and various changes
and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of
the disclosure as defined in the appended claims.
[0016] A navigation apparatus 20 according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure includes two touch pads 10 attached to a
steering 100 of a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, the touch pads 10
are attached to an upper spoke so as to be adjacent to a steering
wheel. A driver can touch operation planes 11 with grabbing the
steering wheel. In FIG. 2, the touch pads 10 are illustrated
separately from the navigation apparatus 20 for convenience
sake.
[0017] In a state in which a steering angle of the steering 100 is
zero, the steering 100 is evenly divided by a center line 110 to a
right section and a left section. One of the touch pads 10 is
disposed in the right section (hereafter, referred to as the right
touch pad 10), and the other of the touch pads 10 is disposed in
the left section (hereafter, referred to as the left touch pad 10)
so as to be line symmetric with respect to the center line 110, The
right and left touch pads 10 have similar configurations.
Components of the right and left touch pads 10 are disposed line
symmetrically with respect to the center line 110. In other words,
the right and left touch pads 10 are attached to the steering 100
in a manner similar to each other.
[0018] The positions of the right and left touch pads 10 with
respect to the steering 100 are not limited to the above-described
example. The touch pads 10 may be disposed at any right-to-left
symmetric positions adjacent to the steering wheel or on the
steering wheel.
[0019] The navigation apparatus 20 is coupled with an in-vehicle
local area network (LAN) 50, which is also coupled with an audio 30
and electronic control units (ECUs), such as an air conditioner
(A/C) ECU 40. By operating the touch pads 10, a driver can operate
the navigation apparatus 20 and the ECUs coupled with the
in-vehicle LAN 50.
[0020] As shown in FIG. 3, each of the touch pads 10 includes the
operation plane 11 and the distortion detector 12. The operation
plane 11 has a plate shape and receives a touch operation by the
driver. The distortion detector 12 includes distortion detection
elements 12a-12d. Each of the distortion detection elements 12a-12d
detects a distortion generated due to a load applied to the
operation plane 11 by the touch operation and transmits a detection
signal in accordance with the distortion. Each of the touch pads 10
further includes a signal processor 13 and a communication portion
14. The signal processor 13 includes a signal processing circuit,
such as a central processing unit (CPU), a read only memory (ROM),
a random access memory (RAM), and an analog-to-digital (A/D)
conversion circuit. The communication portion 14 communicates with
a touch pad communication portion 23 in the navigation apparatus
20, which will be described later.
[0021] The signal processor 13 calculates the load (operation
force) applied to the operation plane 11 by the touch operation
based on the detection signals from the distortion detection
elements 12a-12d in the distortion detector 12 by a known method.
In addition, the signal processor 13 calculates an operation
position in the operation plane 11 to which the touch operation is
applied. Then, the signal processor 13 transmits operation
information including the operation force and the operation
position to the navigation apparatus 20 through the communication
portion 14 at predetermined intervals (e.g., 100 ms).
[0022] The signal processor 13 detects the operation position with
an X-Y coordinate system with an origin at a center of the
operation plane 11. As shown in FIG. 1, on a Y-axis, an upper
region on the basis of a state in which the steering angle of the
steering 100 is zero is a positive region. On an X-axis, an inner
region of the steering 100 is a positive region.
[0023] An example of configurations of the operation plane 11 and
the distortion detector 12 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4,
the operation plane 11 has an approximately rectangular plate
shape. Two protruding portions 11a respectively protrude rightward
and leftward from a peripheral end of the operation plane 11. The
protruding portions 11a are opposite to each other through the
operation plane 11.
[0024] Through each of the protruding portions 11a, two distortion
generators 15 having plate shapes are opposite to each other. One
end of each of the distortion generators 15 is coupled with the
protruding portion 11a, and the other end of each of the distortion
generators 15 is coupled with a casing (not shown) of the touch pad
10.
[0025] The distortion generators 15 are disposed substantially in
parallel with the operation plane 11. A front side of each of the
distortion generators 15, which corresponds to a side of the
operation plane 11 that receives the touch operation, is a
displacement transmission surface that elastically deforms to
generate a bending deformation in accordance with the application
of the operation force to the operation plane 11.
[0026] On the displacement transmission surface, the distortion
detector 12 is disposed. Each of the distortion detection elements
12a-12d detects a displacement (elastic deformation amount) of the
displacement transmission surface as a distortion and transmits the
detection signal to the signal processor 13 in accordance with the
distortion.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, the navigation apparatus 20 further
includes a position detector 21, a direction sensor 22, and the
touch pad communication portion 23. The position detector 21
detects a current position of the vehicle. The direction sensor 22
detects an absolute direction based on geomagnetism. The touch pad
communication portion 23 communicates with the right and left touch
pads 10. The navigation apparatus 20 further includes a control
portion 24. The control portion includes a microcomputer that
includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input and output part (I/O), and a
bas line coupling the CPU, the ROM, the RAM and the I/O. The
control portion 24 performs an overall control of the navigation
apparatus 20 based on a program loaded to the RAM.
The navigation apparatus 20 further includes a storage portion 25
and a display portion 26. The storage portion 25 includes, for
example, a hard disk drive or a flash memory and stores, for
example, a map data. The display portion 26 includes, for example,
a liquid crystal display, and displays various kinds of
information. The display portion 26 may be integrally disposed with
a meter indicator in a dashboard or may be a head up display.
[0028] The navigation apparatus 20 further includes an operation
portion 27 and an in-vehicle LAN communication portion 28. The
operation portion 27 includes, for example, a key switch or a touch
switch, and receives various operations. The in-vehicle LAN
communication portion 28 communications with the ECUs through the
in-vehicle LAN 50.
[0029] Next, an operation of the navigation apparatus 20 according
to the present embodiment will be described. The control portion 24
in the navigation apparatus 20 performs various processes in
accordance with the operation information transmitted from the
signal processors 13 in the right and left touch pads 10. In
addition, the control portion 24 transmits the operation
information to the ECUs through the in-vehicle LAN 50 as necessary.
Accordingly, the navigation apparatus 20, the audio 30, and the
ECUs, such as the air conditioner ECU 40, can be operated through
the touch pads 10.
[0030] As described above, each of the touch pads 10 attached to
the steering 100 is a load detection touch pad that detects the
touch operation to the operation plane 11 by detecting the load
generated in the operation plane 11 with the distortion detector
12. Thus, when a load is generated in the operation plane 11 due to
a vibration of the vehicle, a touch operation may be
misdetected.
[0031] When a vibration of the vehicle occurs, loads having similar
magnitudes and similar directions are applied to the operation
planes 11 in the right and left touch pads 10 in a same period. As
described above, the right and left touch pads 10 have the similar
configurations and are attached to the steering 100 in the manner
similar to each other. In addition, in the X-Y coordinate system on
the operation plane 11 of each of the touch pads 10, the positive
directions of the X-axis and the Y-axis are determined so as to be
right-left symmetric with reference to the center line 110 of the
steering 100.
[0032] Thus, when loads having similar magnitudes and similar
directions are applied to the right and left touch pads 10, the
signal processor 13 detects similar operation amounts and operation
positions close to each other.
[0033] Thus, when the operation amounts included in the operation
information about the touch operations applied to the right and
left touch pads 10 in the same period have similar magnitudes, and
the operation positions included in the operation information are
close to each other, the navigation apparatus 20 cancels the
operation information.
[0034] An operation information reception process performed by the
navigation apparatus 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 6.
In the operation information reception process, the navigation
apparatus 20 performs various processes based on the operation
amounts and the operation positions detected at the right and left
touch pads 10 and cancels the operation amounts and the operation
positions misdetected due to a vibration of the vehicle. The
navigation apparatus 20 performs the operation information
reception process at predetermined intervals, for example, 100
ms.
[0035] At S205, the control portion 24 of the navigation apparatus
20 determines whether the touch pad communication portion 23
receives new operation information from the right and left touch
pads 10. If the determination at S205 results in YES, the process
proceeds to S210. If the determination at S205 results in NO, the
process ends.
[0036] At S210, the control portion 24 determines whether the touch
operations to the right and left touch pads 10 occur in a same
period. When the touch pad communication portion 23 receives the
new operation information from both of the touch pads 10, the
control portion 24 may determine that the touch operations
corresponding to the operation information occur in the same
period. If the determination at S210 results in YES, the process
proceeds to S215. If the determination at S210 results in NO, the
process proceeds to S230.
[0037] At S215, the control portion 24 determines whether the
operation positions included in the operation information
transmitted from the right and left touch pads 10 are close to each
other. For example, the control portion 24 determines whether a
difference between X-coordinates and a difference between
Y-coordinates of the operation positions are less than or equal to
a predetermined threshold value. If the determination at S215
results in YES, the process proceeds to S220. If the determination
at S215 results in NO, the process proceeds to S230.
[0038] At S220, the control portion 24 determines whether the
operation forces included in the operation information transmitted
from the right and left touch pads 10 are similar to each other.
For example, the control portion 24 determines whether a difference
between magnitudes of the operation forces is less than or equal to
a predetermined threshold value. If the determination at S220
results in YES, the process proceeds to S225. If the determination
at S220 results in NO, the process proceeds to S230.
[0039] At S225, the control portion 24 determines that the touch
operations of the touch pads 10 are misdetected due to a vibration
of the vehicle and cancels the operation information transmitted
from the right and left touch pads 10. Then, the process ends.
[0040] On the other hand, at S230, the control portion 24 performs
various processes based on the operation forces and the operation
positions included in the operation information. Then, the process
ends.
[0041] The navigation apparatus 20 according to the present
embodiment includes the right and left touch pads 10 attached to
the steering 100. The right and left touch pads 10 detect the touch
operation of the driver with the distortion detection elements
12a-12d. The navigation apparatus 20 performs various processes in
accordance with the operation positions and the operation forces
included in the operation information transmitted from the right
and left touch pads 10. In addition, the navigation apparatus 20
transmits the operation information to the ECUs as necessary.
Accordingly, the navigation apparatus 20 and the ECUs can be
operated by using the right and left touch pads 10.
[0042] When the right and left touch pads 10 detect the operation
positions and the operation forces in the same period, the
operations positions are close to each other, and the magnitudes of
the operation forces are similar to each other, the navigation
apparatus 20 cancel the operation positions and the operation
forces.
[0043] Thus, the navigation apparatus 20 can cancel the touch
operation of the touch pads 10 misdetected due to the load
generated by the vibration of the vehicle, without additional
component for detecting the vibration of the vehicle. Accordingly,
a malfunction of the navigation apparatus 20 and the ECUs due to
the vibration of the vehicle can be restricted with a simple
configuration while restricting increase in cost.
[0044] Furthermore, the driver can operate the navigation apparatus
20 and the ECUs with grabbing the steering 100. Therefore, a
convenience can be improved with restricting a malfunction of the
navigation apparatus 20 due to the vibration of the vehicle.
[0045] Furthermore, the two touch pads 10 having similar
configurations are attached to the same component (the steering
angle 100) in a manner similar to each other. Thus, compared with a
case in which the two touch pads 10 are attached to different
components, the two touch pads 10 are likely to receive loads
having similar characteristics when a vibration of the vehicle
occurs. Thus, the touch operation misdetected due to the vibration
of the vehicle can be canceled with a high degree of accuracy.
[0046] In the above-described embodiment, the two touch pads 10 are
attached to the steering 100 as an example to explain the process
of canceling the touch operations misdetected due to the vibration
of the vehicle. Also when three or more touch pads 10 are attached
to the steering 100, or when the touch pads 10 are attached to
other component, a misdetected touch operation can be canceled by
performing similar determinations based on the operation forces and
the operation positions detected by the touch pads 10 in the same
period.
[0047] In a manner similar to the touch pads 10, an operation
reception device that detects an operation by a user with a
distortion detection element has a possibility to misdetect an
operation due to a vibration of the vehicle. Thus, also in a case
in which a plurality of operation reception devices are attached
to, for example, the steering 100, the misdetected operation can be
canceled by performing similar determinations based on operations
detected by the operation reception devices in a same period.
[0048] In the above-described embodiment, the two touch pads 10
have similar configurations and are attached to the steering 100 in
the manner similar to each other. However, even when the touch pads
10 are attached in different manners or when a plurality of touch
pads 10 or a plurality of operation reception devices having
different configurations are attached to the steering 100, an
operation that is misdetected due to a vibration of the vehicle can
be canceled. Even when a plurality of touch pads 10 or a plurality
of operation reception devices is attached to different components
of the vehicle, an operation that is misdetected due to a vibration
of the vehicle can be canceled.
[0049] In the above-described case, it may be previously studied
what kind of operations are detected at touch pads 10 or the
operation reception devices when loads having similar magnitudes
and similar directions are generated. In addition, data indicating
combinations of the operations detected at the touch pads 10 or the
operation reception devices may be stored in the storage portion 25
in the navigation apparatus 20.
[0050] Then, when the operations detected at the touch pads 10 or
the operation reception devices in a same period correspond to the
combination of the operations included in the data, the control
portion 24 may cancel the operations. Also in the above-described
cases, a malfunction of the navigation apparatus 20 and the ECUs
due to the vibration of the vehicle can be restricted.
[0051] In the operation information reception process in the
above-described embodiment, the control portion 24 of the
navigation apparatus 20 cancel the operation that is misdetected
due to the vibration of the vehicle, based on the operation
information transmitted from the touch pads 10.
[0052] However, it is not limited to the above-described example,
and the detection signals from the distortion detectors 12 in the
touch pads 10 may be directly input to the control portion 24 in
the navigation apparatus 20, and the control portion 24 may detect
the touch operation to the touch pads 10 based on the detection
signals.
[0053] In addition, the navigation apparatus 20 may include a
determination circuit that determines whether waveforms of the
detection signals transmitted to the navigation apparatus 20 from
the distortion detectors 12 in a same period are similar to each
other. When the waveforms are similar to each other, the
determination circuit may determine that the detection signals are
transmitted due to the vibration of the vehicle and may output an
abnormal signal to the control portion 24. Then, when the control
portion 24 receives the abnormal signal from the determination
circuit, the control portion may cancel the touch operation.
[0054] Also in the above-described case, a malfunction of the
navigation apparatus 20 and the like due to the touch operation
that is misdetected due to the vibration of the vehicle can be
restricted.
[0055] In the operation information reception process in the
above-described embodiment, the operation information is canceled
when the operation positions included in the operation information
transmitted from the right and left touch pads 10 in a same period
are close to each other and the magnitudes of the operation forces
included in the operation information are similar to each
other.
[0056] However, the operation information may be canceled when the
operation positions included in the operation information
transmitted from the right and left touch pads 10 in a same period
are close to each other or when the magnitudes of the operation
forces included in the operation information transmitted from the
right and left touch pads 10 in a same period are similar to each
other. The operation information may also be canceled when the
operation information is transmitted from the right and left touch
pads 10 in a same period regardless of other conditions.
[0057] According to the above-described configurations, a
malfunction of the navigation apparatus 20 and the like due to a
vibration of the vehicle can be restricted with simple
configurations.
[0058] In the above-described embodiments, the navigation apparatus
20 can operate as an in-vehicle apparatus. The touch pads 10 can
operate as an operation section. The signal processor 13 can
operate as a detection section. The processes at S210 to S225 in
the operation information reception process may be performed by a
cancellation section.
* * * * *